Brenda's Bites

Does the name “Cadbury” ring a chocolate bell? Richard Cadbury invented the first Valentine’s Day candy box in the late 1800s.When it comes to fun food facts, Valentine’s Day is filled with sweet talk of every variety, dating back hundreds of years.
Here are a few more to nibble on:
During the 17th century, a hopeful maiden ate a hard-boiled egg and pinned fivebay leaves to her pillow before going to sleep on Valentine's eve. It was believed this would make her dream of her future husband.
More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold for Valentine's Day each year.
On average, men shell out $130 each on candy, cards, jewelry, flowers and dates. That’s more than double what women commit to spending.
About 8 billion candy hearts will be produced this year; that’s enough candy to stretch from Rome, Italy to Valentine, Arizona 20 times and back again.
According to legend, lentils, honey, oysters, bananas, and chocolate are culinary aphrodisiacs.Both Hippocrates and ancient Egyptians thought lentils would aid in male potency. No wonder those little legumes are still popular.
Along the same lines, Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, popped out of the water on an oyster shell. Oysters also rank high in zinc, a key element in testosterone production. Even nutrient-rich bananas are among the foods offered to fertility gods in India.

Montezuma is said to have imbibed in 50 cups of chocolate a day so he could take care of his harem.
In Japan, women are expected to give chocolate and other gifts to men on Valentine's Day. This tradition was started as a marketing campaign by Japanese chocolate companies. Men are expected to return the favor on March 14th, commonly known as White Day.
The Ivory Coast is the world's largest producer of cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate.
When it comes to the restaurant industry, many capitalize on one of the biggest annual dining-out occasions in the U.S. Industry analysts say this year should be particularly beneficial since V- Day falls on a Saturday and President’s Day occurs on the next Monday.

Whether you’re discussing deflated balls or Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch’s taciturn demeanor as he meets the media, there’s more than pigskins on the mind of fans as Super Bowl Sunday approaches.
While I love me my football, I also love to chow down on Big Game Sunday.
Apparently I’m not alone.Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest day of food consumption behind Thanksgiving?
As you’re pondering which dip to dunk your chip in, consider these fun football food facts:
According to the American Institute of Food Distribution, Americans will consume more than one billion chicken wings, 120 million pounds of avocados and 2.5 million pounds of nuts.
The 120 million pounds of avocados is equal to 387,096 offensive linemen piled on top of each other (average weight of 310 lbs.).
As for chips, 14, 500 tons will be consumed, enough to fill 39 Boeing 747 airplanes!
325.5 million gallons of beer will go down the hatch. That’s a lot of suds, enough to flow over Niagara Falls for 7.2 minutes.My favorite Super Sunday foods? Pizza and popcorn.
Apparently I’m not alone as 4 million pies – half an inch thick--will be consumed Sunday, which is the equivalent to 910 Leaning Towers of Pisa stacked on top of each other.
Popcorn for the big game could fill 13,571,428 buckets at your local AMC Theaters!

And let’s remember the goobers: 2.5 million nuts will be snacked on, meaning you could make 1.8 million jars of 12 oz. jars of peanut butter.
While the food and the multimillion dollar commercials are an enormous part of the fun for me, I also hope that the game is close and exciting.I don’t like either team, but being a long-suffering Bills fan, I’m rooting for the lesser of two evils. Go Seahawks!

As I peer out the window, the sun is shining, not a flake of snow is on the ground and the Secret Santa gifts at the station have all been exchanged.
Tis the season for holiday traditions, even if the weather is unseasonably warm, which usually means donning battle gear to find a parking space at the mall and navigate through the crowds, , decorating the house before major storms blow you off the ladder, and deciding how much of a workout your credit card can endure.
Sound like jingle-jangle fun?
While the holidays have inherent stresses built in, the season is often an ideal time to enjoy family, friends and special customs, many of which involve my favorite thing—food!
Being a first generation Italian-American, I remember fondly the pizzele cookies my father would make. As the aroma, redolent of anise and butter, wafted through the house, I knew the warmth of the holiday season was upon us. My mother’s homemade raisin roll was another delicious guilty pleasure, and to this day, my willpower melts when Cucidatis (Italian fig cookies) are within arm’s reach.
Same is true whenever I’m near a bar that serves Tom & Jerry’s, the classic hot cocktail made with eggs, brandy, rum, sugar and spices. Good thing it’s only available around the holidays or I’d be waddling around tipsy all the time.
Thought you might enjoy some Christmas food trivia to digest as you’re relaxing after a big spread.

Candy canes are a Christmas staple and on average 1.76 billion of the festive minty red and white sticks are made annually. That's enough candy canes to travel the distance between Santa Claus, Indiana, and North Pole, Arkansas, and back again 32 times.

While statistics about fruitcake consumption are not widely available, one poll found that 38% of people give away their fruitcakes instead of eating them.

Figgy pudding, made from figs, bread crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk, baked and topped with a scrumptious brandied hard sauce, custard icing, powdered sugar, or whipped cream, was immortalized in the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas and was served by Mrs. Cratchit in the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol.

Animal Crackers were introduced at Christmastime in 1902. The carrying string on the box was designed so it could be hung on a Christmas Tree.

Wishing you all the best for a happy holiday season, a healthy and prosperous new year and many good bites to come!

After a wild week of record-setting weather, this Thanksgiving offers a rare perspective on gratitude and sharing traditions—including platters of food—on this American holiday, first celebrated in the 1600s.
As you’re reflecting over a turkey sandwich and another helping of pie, you may want to stump your friends and family with some tasty Thanksgiving trivia and tidbits:

The average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds, while the heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds.

A 15 pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.

The National Turkey Federation has calculated that 88% of Americans have turkey on Thanksgiving.

The five most popular ways to serve leftover turkey is as a sandwich, in stew, chili or soup, casseroles and as a burger.

Turkeys have heart attacks. The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sound barrier. Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.

20% of all cranberries consumed in the U.S. are eaten at Thanksgiving.

Turkey was the first meal enjoyed by Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin when they were on the moon.

The first Thanksgiving was the only Thanksgiving between the 52 Pilgrims and the 50 Native Americans, and it was a secular event. It wasn't until 1775 that the Continental Congress made the first national celebration of Thanksgiving.

Since President Harry Truman, the White House tradition has been to pardon two turkeys on Thanksgiving Day. (Make your own jokes here.)

A feast of freebies is on the menu for the men and women who have served our country or who are currently active.
A wide variety of businesses, including many fast-food, fast casual and sit-down eateries, are offering everything from a cup of coffee to full meals as the nation prepares to commemorate Veteran’s Day on the 12th.Many of the promotions kick off Saturday and run through the holiday. The promotion benefits both military members and the food industry since Mondays and Tuesdays are typically the slow days of the week. Most offers are available to active, inactive and retired personnel who can show identification.
Here is a list of area eateries that are promoting patriotism and creating opportunities for their business:

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Complimentary Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake dessertDenny’s
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Free Build Your Own Grand Slam
5 am until noonFamous Dave’s
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Free One Meat Salute. Choose from one meat, a corn muffin, and a side.Outback On November 11th, Outback is honoring all active and retired military personnel with a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Beverage by showing a valid military ID at participating restaurants.

Halloween is many things—costumes, parties, candy, truly a big money maker for a variety of enterprises. Halloween is now this county’s second largest commercial holiday next to Christmas.
Thought you might enjoy some tasty tidbits on the origins and traditions of this ancient holiday, many of which will make your dentist happy!

·Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.

·The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.

More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces -- enough to circle the moon nearly four times if laid end-to-end.

What's the most popular Halloween candy? Snickers--it tops the list for trick-or-treaters.

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

Did you know that chocolate is better for your teeth than hard candy? Chocolate rinses more easily from the mouth by saliva, leaving it in contact with teeth for a shorter time. Chocolate also contains tannins, which inhibit the action of cavity-causing bacteria.

More than 10 percent of annual candy sales happen the days leading up to Halloween -- that is nearly $2 billion dollars in sales.

The top selling candy: Candy Corn. Americans purchase over 20 million pounds of it a year, though it is unlikely that every last one of those millions of candies was actually consumed.

After the beloved Candy Corn, the leading best sellers are as follows: Snickers, Reese's, Kit Kat and M&M'S.

Event though the economy is tightening everyone's budget, that does not stop them from splurging a bit on this one holiday. The average American household spends $44 a year on Halloween candy.

Did you know that pumpkin is the best source of vitamin A among all canned fruits and vegetables? With just a half a cup serving, you enjoy three times the recommended daily requirement.

The biggest pumpkin pie on record was baked by the New Breman Giant Pumpkin Growers in Ohio in 2005. After baking for five hours in a special oven, it weighed 2,020 pounds and measured 12 feet, 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep.

Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.

Time to feed your curiosity, map out a plan, and break the chain! Chain restaurants, that is.
Seems like I’m still working off the Spring LRW, but it’s time for the Fall edition of the biannual celebration foodies fantasize about: Local Restaurant Week, running from October 20 – 26, 2014.
This all-consuming feeding fest occurs each spring and fall throughout Western New York, which promotes our regional food culture and supports more than 200 locally-owned eateries of all sizes, ethnicities and menu shapes.
Food features starting at $20.14 encourage diners to skip national chain restaurants in favor of supporting local independents. Profits from each dollar spent at our locally-owned, independent restaurants stay right here in WNY and make our community stronger. And it gives you a chance to try places that you’ve been curious to experience.
Like many foodies, I’m plotting out my plan for a week’s worth of food fun. I will always patronize independent, locally-owned restaurants because I like to support people who are putting food on their table by putting food on my table.Here are a few fun facts to further chew on:

Plenty of good things to chew on in the next few days:

Although it feels more like mid-summer, it’s time for Oktoberfest in Williamsville. Running from September 26th through the 28th, the annual event includes a keg-rolling contest, Mercedes Benz exhibit and the Great German Dessert Bake-off at Sweet Jenny’s at the Williamsville Water Mill on Spring Street. Many village restaurants are adding German dishes such as potato pancakes and bratwurst to their menu selections.

One of the area’s Best Food Truck competitions takes place for the third year in a row in the Boulevard Mall parking lot on Maple Road in Amherst. On Saturday, September 27th from 11:30am-4:30pm, several food trucks will be on hand selling everything from gourmet hot dogs to tacos to decadent desserts and so much more. Guests can cast a vote for their favorite cuisine; some of the proceeds benefit the Buffalo City Mission. And that’s not all… the Boulevard Mall is giving away a gift card to a lucky guest. The Mall is also encouraging folks to bring non-perishable food items and clothing to benefit the Mission.

Whether you call it java, a Cup o’ Joe, or the elixir of life, it’s time to recognize National Coffee Day. Acting as my smooth, strong fuel gets me off on the right foot…every single day.

I am in the majority when it comes to daily addiction: A March 2014 National Coffee Association study found that more than 6 out of 10 adults knocked back some sort of bean brew every day.
National Coffee Day on Monday, September 29, celebrates that fact.
Some places are brewing up special offers to commemorate the caffeinated day:
Tim Hortons is offering a medium dark roast (their new flavor) coffee for a dollar. McDonald’s is serving free coffee during breakfast hours leading up to the 29th. Dunkin’ Donuts is celebrating with specially priced K-Cup packs and packaged coffee along with a free medium Hot Dark Roast on Monday.
Bottoms up…let’s get buzzed!

More Bites on the airwaves:
Join me at the table every Sunday on ESPN 1520 when we talk all things food on “Brenda’s Bites” from 10:30 – 11am. Bon apetit!

Here’s a trivia question for you to chew on: What does Bill Murray have to do with the National Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival? The festival was inspired 13 years ago by a movie Murray starred in, “Osmosis Jones.”
Murray’s character was a big junk food and chicken wing eater whose goal was to attend the Festival, which didn’t exist at the time. Buffalo News columnist Donn Esmonde wrote a piece saying that he was shocked that such a festival didn’t exist in the birthplace of the spicy appendage.Local businessman Drew Cerza, now better known as the Wing King, took the chicken by the horns and created the Festival.
Would you believe it’s this Labor Day weekend: Saturday, August 30, from noon - 9:00 and Sunday, August 31 from noon until 7:00 at Coca-Cola Field in downtown Buffalo?You may have seen 30 tons of wings being delivered at the ballpark Wednesday for the 13th annual festival.
Here’s a rundown of this year’s schedule:

Even the sports networks are getting in on the action. ESPN 3 will be broadcasting the Wing Eating contest Sunday at 3. And USA Today recently featured the fowl fest in things to do this holiday weekend.Over four million wings (237 tons) have been sold since the festival began in 2002. The festival has drawn more than 795,000 people and served over 4.2 million wings during the last decade. Local charities have received in excess of $270,000 since the festival began.I’m looking forward to judging the Healthy Zone Recipe Challenge. It’s not a wing, but different recipes inspired by Buffalo’s famous food. Can’t wait to see what flavor combos the contestants create!

Who doesn’t love an Independence Day that falls on a Friday? I know I do and a big part of the USA’s birthday celebration this long weekend centers on food for my family, friends and me.Thought you might enjoy chewing on some food facts as you fire up the grill and proudly fly the red, white and blue:

Our fellow Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs a year. More are eaten in July than any other month of the year, which is why it’s no surprise that July is National Hot Dog Month. On the 4th, the biggest hot dog day of the year, 155 million hot dogs will be eaten, enough to stretch from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., more than five times!

Iowa leads the pack when it comes to the state that consumes the most dogs and pork sausage on July 4th; it’s no surprise that the billions of pounds of cattle and calves raised in Texas means most of our beef hot dogs, streaks and burgers come from the Lone Star State.

Nearly half of the baked beans we eat come from North Dakota, big producer of dry and edible legumes annually.

My family and I crave corn on the cob slathered in BBQ sauce and thrown on the grill. Florida, California, Georgia and New York in total produced most of the sweet corn. Nice to know the Empire State gets in the mix.

Nearly all of the ketchup was made in California, but I much prefer hot sauce, mustard and relish on my grilled goodies.

The Sunshine State leads in watermelon production. Nice to know the home state of the Miami Dolphins is good for something!

Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and National Hot Dog & Sausage Council.
If you’re not a carnivore and prefer a grilled carrot nestled in a roll (don’t knock it till you try it), here are some other meatless alternatives that you can toss on the grill:

Pineapple rings, topped with cinnamon and sugar

Portobello mushrooms, with their meaty flavor and texture, these ‘shrooms make a nice stand-in for a burger

Eggplant, similar to Portobello mushrooms in satisfaction

Sweet potatoes or yams, terrific with butter, honey and cinnamon drizzled over them

Coming up on “Brenda’s Bites” this Sunday from 10:30 – 11am on WWKB Radio AM 1520 (ESPN):